1st Test, Day 2: Hoping to wipe off deficit, says Tharindu Kaushal

Galle: Sri Lankan spinner Tharindu Kaushal on Thursday said that his side will hope to bat well on day three of the first cricket Test against India and make a bid to wipe off the deficit.

The hosts are placed precariously at 5/2, trailing by 187 runs, after India scored 375 runs in their first innings and took a lead of 192 runs.

"We are hoping to wipe out the deficit and then get a lead of about 250 runs. We are confident of dismissing them in the second innings," said Kaushal after the day's play.

"The wicket is beginning to spin a lot. It will be difficult for our batsmen to bat on it, but we can play well and get a target of 250 runs, I am confident we can get them out," he added.

Kaushal was Lanka's most successful bowler with a haul of 5-134 even as more experienced partner Rangana Herath went wicketless, as Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli struck centuries and piled on the runs.

"It was a challenge to bowl to good batsmen like Dhawan and Kohli. You have to get used to bowling at batsmen of that caliber to improve. If you get afraid of them, it's not good for me as a bowler. In international cricket, the batsmen won't allow me to settle down. They try to score runs off me by taking singles and rotating the strike and trying to unsettle me. I must get used to it very quickly," said the spinner.

"Herath gave me a lot of support. He kept constantly talking to me and telling me what I should do. It's easy to bowl with him around. When I go out of line, he quickly reminds me where I am going wrong and corrects me," he added.

"He told to be patient. The wickets will come when you keep on doing the right things. He said if you get one wicket you will end up taking five, so be patient," Kaushal signed off.